Top 10 things we learned from Sunday's football

Published 18:25 21/11/10

Morten Gamst Pedersen ensured the Venky's era got off to a cracking (cracking eggs - geddit?!) start by firing Blackburn to a 2-0 win over Aston Villa, while Manchester City put four past Fulham at Craven Cottage to end any talk of revenge for Mark Hughes.

But what did we learn from the two games?

1) Hairy heores
Blackburn fans got their first sight of the new owners, the Rao brothers of the Indian poultry giant Venky's at the match today. And what a first sight, with Balaji Rao sporting a fabulous ponytail all the way down his back. Not since the halcyon days of Robbie Savage's blond locks has Ewood Park seen such hirsute magnificence.

2) Hats off
Top marks also to the Blackburn fan sporting a full-sized mofel of a chicken on top of his hat. We were desperately hoping one of Sky Sports' minions would seek him out to ask his views on the takeover, only for him to reply: "What takeover?" with a blank face of confusion.

3) The new JT
Blackburn's young defender Phil Jones has been touted as 'the new John Terry' ever since he broke into the Rovers first team. And now we know it's true after he handballed in the penalty area only for the ref to wave play on.

4) Awful chicken puns alert!
For Blackburn's opener some great wing play from Rovers and a subsequent fowl by Stephen Warnock allowed Morten Gamst Pedersen to flight in a delicious free kick that ended up in the back of the net after Brad Friedel flapped at it, no doubt leaving Gerard Houllier spitting feathers . " Peck that one out," the Sky commentator Alan Parry didn't say. (Well you knew it was coming.)

5) Blackburn vs Villa stat attack!
Two records were broken at Ewood Park today. First off, when he came on in the second half, Robert Pires became the oldest outfield player ever to play in the Premier League for Aston Villa, breaking Paul McGrath's record. And secondly, going into this game, Gerard Houllier had never lost a Premier League match to Blackburn.

6) Maradona's a Fulham fan
Diego Maradona was at Craven Cottage for the match and it was very much the Argentina show in the first half with goals from both Carlos Tevez and Pablo Zabaleta. El Diego was probably not too surprised to see his countymen score - especially Tevez - but may have been slightly perplexed with the stadium announcer introduced him as "one of Fulham's biggest fans". Ah yes, those were the days when he was running around as a child in Buenos Aires, wearing a Johnny Haynes shirt...

7) Fulham fans never forget
Not all the Fulham regulars reciprocated Diego's obvious love though, as some chanted "Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!" when he was introduced. Probably one of the few English words he does understand.

8) I say, I say, I say...
And the joke of the day award goes to noted funny man and the Daily Telegraph's chief football correspondent Henry Winter who posted on Twitter: "Barry off for Vieira. Not the first time a Frenchman has run past Barry this week." Boom tish!

9) Snoods for all
After match-winning performances from Carlos Tevez and Yaya Toure who were both wearing them, surely Roberto Mancini will now make those neck-scarf things a compulsory part of City's kit?

10) Fulham vs Manchester City stat attack!
According to the excellent OptaJoe, Manchester City are the first side to hit four goals at Craven Cottage in the Premier League since Arsenal in March 2006, and Carlos Tevez is now top scorer in the Premier League this season with nine goals.

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